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How to Hire a Growth Hacker

Growth hacking is a word that has been buzzing around the internet for the last 7 years. The term was first coined by Sean Ellis in a blog post where he was looking for someone to replace him in his startup. The person to replace him would need to be more technologically savvy than your traditional marketer, and strictly focused on quickly growing the company’s user base above all else. He decided to call this person a growth hacker.

Since then, startups (especially software startups) have taken a liking to the idea of a growth hacker. Why wouldn’t they? It’s a job position that is purely based around fast growth, and for a startup, growth often equates to success and money. Many startups are even opting to replace the Chief Marketing Officer position with a Chief Growth Officer.

If you are considering hiring a growth hacker, here are some things to consider.

Do they know their metrics?

A good growth hacker is constantly testing new iterations of software, design, ads and tactics in order to see what will help the company grow the fastest. In order to make sense of all of the data they are collecting, they need to be able to understand the metrics that are important and how to calculate them.

Are they focused?

A good growth hacker centralizes all of their effort onto one thing: growth. If something does not pertain directly to growing the company in terms of user base or revenue, they do not bother with it. If a growth hacker gets side tracked easily, they will likely be ineffective at their job.

Can they think outside the box?

Some of the best and most famous growth hacks were successful because of their unique approach to generating growth. Need an example? Just read up on this Airbnb growth hack that put them on the map. The ability to think of new innovative ideas to stimulate growth is an essential part of growth hacking.

These are just 3 of many things to consider when hiring a growth hacker for your team. Make your decision carefully though, as a good growth hacker can skyrocket a startup to success.

I am a Digital Marketing student, graduating from ASU in 2018. My experience is in website development and marketing, social media and higher education. I'd be happy to talk to you about or answer any questions about marketing, especially through online platforms.